Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) has triumphed in ensuring market access for Namibian meat and meat products from both the North and South of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (Redline) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.
The Executive Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, shared the news, highlighting the strides Namibia made during a mission visit to the Middle East in July this year.
She said during a mission to the UAE and Qatar in July 2023, a delegation from MAWLR engaged in trade negotiation meetings with veterinary competent authorities and the Ministry of Public Health in those countries, with the primary focus on discussing imports, animal health and veterinary public health requirements for the export of Namibian meat.
“Similarly, discussions were held with the Halal accreditation authorities of UAE and Qatar, Food business operators, importers and exporters, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Halal Trade and Marketing Centre of UAE which are all main role players in the meat industry value chain of their respective countries,” she stated.
The Executive Director furthermore revealed that successful negotiations resulted in defining import requirements for exporting beef from the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia to Qatar as well as beef and lamb from the South side of the Veterinary Cordon Fence to the UAE.
“Following this, the Directorate of Veterinary Services collaborated with counterparts in both countries to obtain veterinary export health certificates for the export of Namibian meat to the UAE and Qatar Nghituwamata said.
Moreover, she urged Namibian export-approved abattoirs to seize this market opportunity and emphasised the need to engage with Halal certifying bodies approved by the UAE and Qatar authorities for accreditation.
“Export establishments must comply with UAE and Qatar Halal laws before export,” she advised.
Encouraging a proactive approach, Nghituwamata stated that
“The Ministry encourages export-approved abattoirs to engage with the importers of meat and meat products in UAE and Qatar for the registration of the products they intend to export, once their establishments or abattoirs are Halal accredited.”
